Hugh Jackman Discusses X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST

X-Men star, Hugh Jackman has played the iconic Wolverine for seven films now, come see Collider's exclusive interview with the star where he discusses how much longer he plans on staying in the role and see what he has to say about the upcoming, X-Men: Days of Future Past.

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By Rohan Patel - 2/19/2014

Collider has just posted quite a few X-Men: Days of Future Past exclusives, come check out their interview with The Wolverine himself, Hugh Jackman.

The interview starts out with Hugh Jackman discussing how he landed two consecutive films playing Wolverine, he says he found out about the film near the end of shooting The Wolverine. He explains how at the time since he was already in top shape, it was a fairly easy decision to step back into the role. "Grew the sideburns and away we go again! It’s been awesome though – I am enjoying him as much as ever, but there’s something about this film that is… I feel so lucky that 14 years later I’m back working with Bryan." He goes on to say how much he enjoyed working with the new cast and how the about 60% of the film will take place in the past.

He admits to not knowing the popularity of the Days of Future Past story, but he does believe Bryan Singer is the best man to tell the story, he says this about Singer: "...there’s no director better at handling multi-character stories. He knows how to do that... He embraces the emotional side of the story in this fully, there’s a lot of comedy in it as well and all things that – I’m not saying he was scared about – but he was worried in the first one tonally about setting a new tone for these movies, which had been seen as too broad prior, and there really hadn’t been, after the Batman movies, the original series. So he really wanted to create a very realistic, human, emotionally rich dynamic and it’s just gone to another level on this. It’s a very epic, big, big movie."

Discussing his own personal growth, he expresses gratitude toward the franchise that made his career, but he does acknowledge that he won't be able to play the role forever "And that thing where you know there’s a day when you’re not going to be playing it, and that becomes clearer to you. I’ve been doing it for 14 years, so of course at some point I’m going to have to pass it on, so I guard it more jealously, I appreciate it more and I’m enjoying it more than ever. I think the last Wolverine movie was a script I could really get into and this one equally is something I’ve enjoyed as much as any of the others.

When asked about what it was like playing opposite two actors who are playing the same character, he says it was pretty exciting because of how he got to see a broader range of characters he had already seen so brilliantly played by Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellan. He goes on to say how the characters of Xavier and Magneto are very close to the center of the story.

He teases a fight between Wolverine and the Sentinels and says: "Yes, you do see battling and I’ll tell you, you see battling in the future and in the past. And not just me battling them, but all the characters." He goes on to confirm that he still can't reveal anything about the future sentinels. He just has this to say about them: "All I can tell you… Is that in the future, the Sentinels are formidable."

When asked about the complexity of the story, he goes on to discuss director Bryan Singer, "I know with Bryan, you could see the evolution from X1 to X2, he’s someone who loves that kind of complexity and story. He’s a ridiculously smart guy. And he understands and can hold so many characters, so it has gone to another level... It’s important to him to create the most incredible time travel movie of all time. And that means, anyone who’s even vaguely attempted to write a time travel movie, it’s easy to pitch, and very difficult in the details. Because every line, every action, everything, you’ve got to set up the rules very carefully so an audience understands it, but then you have to pay it off in many ways. And it’s difficult. As well as having 20 characters across that. So Bryan is in his element."

Jackman admits that he signed onto the film without even reading the script, he signed up simply because of his faith in Singer. He adds "Who knows, this may be my last time playing it? And if it is, it couldn’t be a better way to wrap it up."

He has a few words in regards to the many critics of the film: "I’m fully aware that people will hear the idea and think, ‘Ah, they’ve just come up with a way to bring everybody together’ right? And the great thing is, I don’t have to sell it because I know the storyline is phenomenal. Any of the cynics out there, it’s going to exceed their expectations by a million miles. Because it’s a very strong, emotional story, which I think has always been the strength of X-Men following the humane and difficult side and tortured side of these superheroes, but it’s also intellectually very, very engaging and the action is ridiculous. It’s – I probably shouldn’t tell you this either – the biggest Fox movie ever outside of Avatar, so it’s a massive movie.

He goes on to discuss how Wolverine has grown since the last film:"You get the feeling that he’s come to terms with who he is – I’m a warrior, I’m Wolverine and that’s who I am, for better or worse, it’s not all going to be pretty, but here we go. And then soon after, as you saw in the teaser, he gets approached. Now, actually, it’s all hands on deck, it doesn’t matter which side you’re on in terms of mutant politics, it’s about survival. So he’s on board, but he’s very much in the center of it in terms of the team, so to speak. And then he’s sent back to try and fix things and, as he says, I’m the last person in the world who should be sent back on this mission. If you want someone to go back to take someone’s head off, fantastic, but he’s really got to go back and almost act in parts as inspiration, as mentor, as guide, because he can’t do it all on his own, which is always his preferred method, but he can’t here because of the nature of the story. So he has to become, not necessarily a leader, because I’d still call Xavier the leader here, but in a way he has to become a facilitator for everyone to come together. Which is not his normal modus operandi and it’s certainly not easy for him."

He briefly touches on his cameo in X-Men: First Class and reveals that he wasn't paid for the cameo, but that Fox did make a charitable donation to his kids' schools.

When asked about the potential end of his tenure as Wolverine, he says he honestly doesn't think about it. He knows it'll come to an end one day, but he doesn't dwell on when it'll happen. "I always think the great parts outlive the actors that play them." He touches on how he was the underdog in landing this role and how it's made him reluctant to hang up the claws. "I love playing it and I really love playing The Wolverine and I was very motivated to do what I thought was a more definitive version of that character and being in this is a dream. There’s no way I’d miss out on this opportunity, right?"

As for his plans for the future he says: "So to go on from there, here’s how I think. It has to be more interesting than the last Wolverine if I’m going to a Wolverine movie, it has to be more compelling. And the same with an ensemble piece, whatever it’s called, it would have to be the same thing.

He says he was extremely satisfied with how The Wolverine turned out and briefly mentions his disappointment with the first Wolverine film, "After that one, I felt we still hadn’t created that movie. And I’ve been so lucky to play it and I always wanted to have that feeling in 30 years when someone says, “What movie should I watch?” I go, “Watch this one.” “What’s the Wolverine?” I go, “That’s Wolverine.” And I won’t tell you now, but if someone asks what X-Men movie will I watch, maybe this one… But that’s what motivates me.

After filming both The Wolverine and X-Men: Days of Future Past back to back, he says he still feels absolutely fantastic physically. He was able to get through both films without any injuries, which was a first on any X-Men film.

He ends his interview by admitting that his story of wandering around Comic-Con wearing a Wolverine costume was in fact a joke, but says he should do it sometime in the future.

The ultimate X-Men ensemble fights a war for the survival of the species across two time periods in X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST. The beloved characters from the original "X-Men" film trilogy join forces with their younger selves from "X-Men: First Class," in an epic battle that must change the past -- to save our future.

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@Gusto What are you talking about crazy old man??? It's all about Wolverine, who's that 'Kitty' you mentioned?? Bryan doesn't read comics! People who direct cbms should never read comics, everyone knows that!! Whedon reads comics and look at that shitty film he made that wasn't even a huge box office hit!

also if logan doesn't have a healing factor anymore and he keeps drinking he is going to look like GUSTO during football season. I will not mention the lions because technically they are not a pro-team. Except Megatron

Great interview. Can't wait for this movie to drop.and honeestly, since all the trailers are out now for this years CBMs, I can say, without a shadow of a doubt, this movie has no real competition for CBM of the year

@ Gusto who knows. I wish the house of mouse would just offer fox like a billion dollars for the X-Men back and just split the merchandise money. That way we will stop getting these half ass X-Men movies. The line should be the original 5 and just to keep the fan boys happy throw in Wolverine, storm, colossus, nightcrawler, and Betsy.